Northern Mountains This is Dale at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center at 3:00 pm, Thursday, December 22, 2005. WEATHER DISCUSSION One system is already through the mountains today with very strong winds over the N mtns and the Sawatch Range. Gusts to 98 mph were reported this morning along the Front Range. Expect a slight break this evening and overnight before the next colder and stronger system moves in on Friday on strong NW winds. Expect more blowing snow with Friday's system. Saturday will be breezy and cool as high pressure quickly rebuilds meaning a warm and sunny Christmas day. The forecast details: Thur night: Scattered snow showers, 0-1". Winds easing slight to W/20-30 G50s. Lows 19 to 29. Friday: Mostly cloudy, snow showers, 2-5"; locally higher amounts possible. Winds W-NW/30-40, G70+ abv TL. Falling temperatures, afternoon, 17 to 27. Lows 8 to 18. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Winds N-NW/20-30 G50, easing by afternoon. Highs 20s. SNOWPACK Strong winds over the Front Range has caused significant blowing snow and triggered at least 2 slides in Tenmile Canyon between Copper and Frisco, and another slide near Berthoud Pass Also today backcountry skiers/riders triggered two slides near Loveland Pass. Worst is that one person has been buried by an avalanche on the East side of Kelso Peak (Grays and Torreys). No other details at this time, but rescuers are at the site. All of these slides have been from high elevation, steep areas above treeline In the Summit County area in the past two days 26 soft and hard slab avalanches have been reported. Most have occurred on E to S aspects near and above treeline, but slides have occurred on other aspects, too. Fracture lines have typically been between 2-4 feet. Most have involved only the new snow but some are starting to fracture near the ground or are stepping down into lower layers. Because of the increased blowing snow we are increasing the backcountry avalanche danger in the N mtns. Triggered and natural releases are probable to likely from steep, wind-drifted areas. It is also possible to trigger slides from the bottom of steep slopes, too. If headed into the backcountry in all mountain areas, slopes 35 degrees and steeper should be approached with extra caution, or better yet, avoided all together for now. By staying to slopes of less than 30 degrees in steepness -- without steeper slopes looming immediately above -- you can enjoy the powder with little risk. The backcountry avalanche danger is currently rated: Northern Mtns: In the Front Range, Summit County, and Vail zones the danger near and above treeline on N-E-S facing slopes is CONSIDERABLE with pockets of HIGH. Any wind-drifted slope and gully is suspect. On other aspects and below treeline the danger is MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE. Elsewhere in the N mtns the danger is MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE all aspects and elevations. Atkins Central Mountains This is Dale at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center at 3:00 pm, Thursday, December 22, 2005. WEATHER DISCUSSION One system is already through the mountains today with very strong winds over the N mtns and the Sawatch Range. Gusts to 98 mph were reported this morning along the Front Range. Expect a slight break this evening and overnight before the next colder and stronger system moves in on Friday on strong NW winds. Expect more blowing snow with Friday's system. Saturday will be breezy and cool as high pressure quickly rebuilds meaning a warm and sunny Christmas day. The forecast details: Thur night: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers, 0-1". Winds W/10-20, G40 above TL; strong winds over Sawatch Range, W/20-30 G50. Lows 20s. Friday: Mostly cloudy, snow showers, T-3; favored will be Aspen and N end of Sawatch zones. Winds NW/15-25, G40+ above treeline. Sawatch Range NW/20-30, G50+ abv TL. Falling temperatures, afternoon, 20s. Lows teens. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Winds N-NW/15-25, 45 abv TL. Highs 20s. SNOWPACK Strong winds over the Front Range has caused significant blowing snow and triggered at least 2 slides in Tenmile Canyon between Copper and Frisco, and another slide near Berthoud Pass Also today backcountry skiers/riders triggered two slides near Loveland Pass. Worst is that one person has been buried by an avalanche on the East side of Kelso Peak (Grays and Torreys). No other details at this time, but rescuers are at the site. All of these slides have been from high elevation, steep areas above treeline. In the C mtns control work on Tuesday released at least one soft slab from an E aspect below treeline along Monarch Pass. And a very large explosive was used to release a relatively small avalanche near Aspen. In the Aspen zone forecasters on Tuesday still reported easy, clean shears on shallow-angled slopes from S and a N aspects. The weak layer was a layer of small facets sugar snow buried 8 and 12 inches. In the Crested Butte zone forecasters have reported the snow is strengthening, so we're easing the danger in the Crested Butte zone. If headed into the backcountry in all mountain areas, slopes 35 degrees and steeper should be approached with extra caution, or better yet, avoided all together for now. By staying to slopes of less than 30 degrees in steepness -- without steeper slopes looming immediately above -- you can enjoy the powder with little risk. The backcountry avalanche danger is currently rated: Central Mtns: Near and above treeline the avalanche danger is MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE on slopes 35 degrees and steeper and facing N-E-S, and on any cross-drifted slopes and gullies. Below treeline the danger is MODERATE. In the Crested Butte zone the danger is overall MODERATE all elevations and aspects. Atkins Southern Mountains This is Dale at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center updated at 4:45 pm, Thursday, December 22, 2005. WEATHER DISCUSSION One system is already through the mountains today with very strong winds over the N mtns and the Sawatch Range. Gusts to 98 mph were reported this morning along the Front Range. Expect a slight break this evening and overnight before the next colder and stronger system moves in on Friday on strong NW winds. Expect more blowing snow with Friday's system. Saturday will be breezy and cool as high pressure quickly rebuilds meaning a warm and sunny Christmas day. The forecast details: Thur night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Winds W/10-20, G40 above TL. Lows 20s. Friday: Mostly cloudy, aftn snow showers, 0-2". Winds NW-N/15-25, G40 abv TL. Falling temperatures, aftn, 24 to 34. Lows 13 to 23. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Winds N-NW/15-25, 40 abv TL. Highs 23 to 33. SNOWPACK Strong winds over the Front Range has caused significant blowing snow and triggered at least 2 slides in Tenmile Canyon between Copper and Frisco, and another slide near Berthoud Pass Also today backcountry skiers/riders triggered two slides near Loveland Pass. Worst is that one person has been buried by an avalanche on the East side of Kelso Peak (Grays and Torreys). No other details at this time, but rescuers are at the site. All of these slides have been from high elevation, steep areas above treeline. Today in the S mtns temperatures got very warm -- 47 degrees on Red Mountain Pass -- resulting in about 6 wet-loose avalanches above and below treeline plus numerous roller balls from many aspects. As temperatures cool this wet-snow instability will go away. The problem is that the warmth is only affecting the upper portion of the snowcover. The deeper layers will remain cold and weak. In the S mtns where the snowcover is shallow and weak triggered releases are probable to even likely on steep slopes. The weak layers involve the recent snows and the persistent weakness buried deep, near the ground. Ski patrol work at Telluride continues to release slides with both explosives and ski cuts. These slides typically range from 1-3 feet deep from W to NW aspects near treeline. Around Silverton our forecasters report plenty of collapsing, whumpfing, and cracking on Anvil Mountain. Ski penetration at times was nearly to the ground. Triggered releases from the bottom of steep slopes is becoming a threat in the S mtns as the snowcover gets a bit deeper. If headed into the backcountry in all mountain areas, slopes 35 degrees and steeper should be approached with extra caution, or better yet, avoided all together for now. By staying to slopes of less than 30 degrees in steepness -- without steeper slopes looming immediately above -- you can enjoy the powder with little risk. The backcountry avalanche danger is currently rated: Southern Mtns: Near and above treeline CONSIDERABLE with pockets of HIGH, especially slopes facing N-E-S; below treeline, MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE on NW-NE-E aspects. Locally around Wolf Creek Pass the danger is MODERATE. The most suspect areas are on slopes 35 degrees and steeper facing N-E. Atkins